If Music Be the Food of Love, Sing On. These enchanting words by Henry Heveningham are our muse this spring, as we salute the joys of the spirit. Throughout the ages, mankind has found inspiration in The Book of Psalms. Texts from these songs of praise were set by the Early Baroque period’s Heinrich Schütz to the Late Romantic’s Charles Villiers Stanford. Joy abounds in love poems such as Gerald Finzi’s gem “My Spirit Sang All Day” and David Dickau’s savory setting of “If Music Be the Food of Love.” Contemporary arrangers have found great source material in the deep roots of America’s early traditions. Folk songs by Jack Halloran and Carol Barnett weave charming tales of girls like Cindy, “so sweet the honeybees swarm around her mouth.” Spirituals arranged by Moses Hogan and Clifton Noble, Jr. capture the soul of the African-American tradition with its characteristic combination of mourning for the present, while anticipating the assured bliss to come. Feel the warmth of the tropics with a lively set of popular songs from Latin America. Our spring concerts will be a treat for the senses!